1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inflatable mattresses. More particularly, the present invention relates to inflatable mattresses for supporting a pregnant woman, useful for floating on water or lying on a beach, and used at home as a secondary bed.
2. Description of the Related Art
The comfortable support of pregnant women when lying in a prone position has long been a problem. The problem is exacerbated by the natural progression of torso shape during the pregnancy. Existing mattresses provide a recess for the enlarged portion of the torso when the woman is lying in a prone position and provide a variety of configurations for adjustment during the pregnancy. It would be desirable to provide an inflatable mattress for pregnant women which is useful for floating in water or resting on land, such as at the beach, which adjustably provides a cavity for the abdomen and breasts of the user in a simple structure while providing adjustable side support to the abdomen.
U.S. Des. 392,145, issued Mar. 17, 1998, to Thurston depicts an air mattress having removable portions to accommodate the user's breasts and abdomen when lying in a prone position thereon and having a face-receiving breathing tunnel having an upper cross piece and an adjustable ankle bolster.
U.S. Des. 403,194, issued Dec. 29, 1998, to Thurston depicts an air mattress having an elevated abdomen receiver having graduated adjustment pads and a face receiver having a breathing tunnel integrated into the air mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,960, issued Oct. 25, 1977, to Pettit et al., describes an inflatable cushion which is foldable and has an upward opening breathing channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,237,712, issued Aug. 24, 1993, to Ramsay, describes a maternity mattress with an abdomen receiving portion having a series of interfitting inflatable inserts for adjusting the size of the receiving portion, the inflatable inserts being adjustably inflated for further adjustment to fit the abdomen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,449, issued Mar. 28, 1995, to Satto, describes a prone pregnancy cushion or mattress having removable segments adjusting for pregnancy where a breast receiver communicates directly with the abdomen receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,824, issued May 9, 1995, to Emerson et al. describes a pregnancy support mattress having a removable freestanding ankle bolster.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,147, issued Jun. 20, 1995, to Supplee et al., describes an adjustable air cushion maternity mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,981, issued Aug. 5, 1997, to Singer-Leyton et al., describes a massage cushion for maternity use having a cavity which encompasses both the breasts and the abdomen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,287, issued Oct. 27, 1998, to Tandrup, describes an infant support system having removable side bolsters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,568,015 B1, issued May 27, 2003, to Allen describes a mattress for supporting a pregnant woman or other individual having abdominal problems which is provided with a structure having attachable straps and which is useful for changing a person from a prone position to a supine position having an inflatable abdominal cavity.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a pregnancy air mattress/raft solving the aforementioned problems is desired.